oe. He slyly
watched Belton's room-mate, chuckling inwardly. But his fun died away
into a feeling of surprise when he saw that his shoeless foot was not
even attracting attention.

He stooped down and pulled off the other shoe, and his surprise
developed into amazement when he saw that the combined attack produced
no result. Belton's room-mate seemed absorbed in reading.

The Mississippian next pulled off his coat and pretending to yawn and
stretch, lifted his arms just so that the junction of his arm with
his shoulder was on a direct line with his visitor's nose.
Belton's room-mate made a slight grimace, but kept on reading. The
Mississippian was dumbfounded.

He then signified his intention of retiring to bed and undressed,
eyeing his visitor all the while, hoping that the scent of his whole
body would succeed.

He got into bed and was soon snoring loudly enough to be heard two or
three rooms away; but Belton's room-mate seemed to pay no attention to
the snoring.

The Mississippian gave up the battle in disgust, saying to himself:
"That fellow regards scents and noises just as though he was a
buzzard, hatched in a cleft of the roaring Niagara Falls." So saying,
he fell asleep in reality and the snoring increased in volume and
speed.

Belton's room-mate now took a pair of large new socks out of his
pocket and put them into the Mississippian's shoes, from which he took
the dirty socks already there. Having these dirty socks, he quietly
tips out of the room and returns to his and Belton's room.

Belton desired to make the speech of his life the next day, and had
retired to rest early so as to be in prime nervous condition for the
effort. His room-mate stole to the wardrobe and stealthily extracted
the silk handkerchief and put these dirty socks in its stead. Belton
was then asleep, perhaps dreaming of the glories of the morrow.

Thursday dawned and Belton arose, fresh and vigorous. He was cheerful
and buoyant that day; he was to graduate bedecked with all the honors
of his class. Mr. King, his benefactor, was to be present. His mother
had saved up her scant earnings and had come to see her son wind up
the career on which she had sent him forth, years ago.

The assembly room was decorated with choice flowers and presented
the appearance of the Garden of Eden. On one side of the room sat the
young lady pupils, while on the other the young men sat. Visitors from
the city came in droves and men of distinction sat